


waiting for the world to end

by noodlerdoodler



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Non-Binary Klaus Hargreeves, Other, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Protective Klaus Hargreeves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:28:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28631772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noodlerdoodler/pseuds/noodlerdoodler
Summary: A collection of (unrelated) drabbles written on request. Based on an angst prompt meme.-Chapter One: “I have to leave you behind, I’m sorry.” (Klaus & Diego)Chapter Two: “It’s all been a lie, hasn’t it?” (Ben & Klaus)Chapter Three: “Just hold me.” (Vanya/Sissy)Chapter Four: “Hey, I’ve got you. It’s okay.” (Klaus & Diego)Chapter Five: “Stay with me tonight?” (Klaus/Dave)
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20





	waiting for the world to end

**Author's Note:**

> for ankey on twitter!! klaus uses he/they pronouns here.

“I have to leave you behind, I’m sorry.”

The weight of his words hit Klaus like a punch to the gut. He knew that he wasn’t exactly the most useful sibling to take on missions, (which was why they’d nearly always been delegated the role of lookout), but come _on_. Both him and Diego were adults now, they'd fought side by side against The Commission. Surely, Klaus was capable of having his back when he went after those uniform-wearing freaks.

“No, no, Diego, I can help-“ Klaus started down the stairs after him.

Their brother swung around fast, causing them to freeze on the spot, so that Klaus stumbled and nearly fell. He only just managed to keep his balance on the grungy stairs. Before they could try to argue, Diego pointed his index finger at him and used it to jab them angrily in the chest. It stung. But not as much as it hurt to see so much pain swimming in their brother’s eyes. Clearly, seeing Ben again- or, at least, Sparrow Ben- had hurt Diego more than he had let on. 

“No, you _listen_ ,” Diego snapped, “I know this might be hard for you to comprehend but not everything is about you. I don’t need _you_ getting in the way. Got it?”

Klaus’ eyes widened, a little shocked, and he stammered for a response. He was filled with mixed emotions, torn over whether they should laugh or cry at how self-absorbed Diego clearly thought he was. It was true that Klaus had learned to be selfish, even narcissistic, because that was the easiest way for him to get by. It got him couches to sleep on, food to eat, and drugs to take. Selfless rarely got you anywhere on the streets. But war, Dave, Ben… It had stripped that instinct out of him.

He couldn’t bear the thought of losing anyone else. 

Pleading, Klaus took another step towards him, “I want to help, Di.”

For a moment, they were almost face-to-face and Klaus got a better chance to study the tender look in his brother's eyes. Then, Diego turned away from him again. He pounded down the stairs, just like they'd trained to as children, as if he was hoping to leave Klaus behind on the stairs. No such luck. Although Diego was fitter and quicker, Klaus had longer strides and managed to keep up with him. Just about, anyway. 

“What are you gonna do? Throw a snow globe at them? Or at yourself?”

The look that Diego threw over his shoulder suggested that it wasn’t just guesswork. That little bastard really couldn’t keep anything to himself. Still, Klaus wished that one of his other siblings was here, one that would be able to talk their brother into turning around and going back to the motel room. None of them had any idea that Diego was planning on taking on the Sparrow Academy single-handedly, driven entirely by his emotions and proving that he hadn’t learned anything in 1963.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Klaus followed him quickly into the lobby and let the door fall shut behind him. Diego was clearly trying to shake him off, walking at such a quick pace that Klaus was struggling for breath. Damn cigarettes.

“Five told you about that, huh?” They chuckled breathlessly.

“That kind of thing is exactly why you can’t come with me,” Diego sighed and his fierce expression softened a little, “You do crazy things. Stupid things-“

Crisp winter air rushed to meet them as Diego, then Klaus, stepped out of the motel and into the parking lot. The receptionist had barely spared them a second glance, only quirking their eyebrows slightly at their raised voices. It was chilly enough for Klaus to stop where he was, wrapping his arms around himself in an effort to keep warm, since they were only wearing a thin, silk shirt. He managed to stop shivering so that he could argue his case. 

“That was when I was an addict. I’m clean now!”

“- and I can’t risk you getting hurt. Okay?” When Diego finally looked at them, there was a familiar sympathetic expression on his face. 

He got the strong sense, that despite being around him for the last few weeks, Diego didn't believe in their sobriety completely. Or if he did, he thought it was a phase and that Klaus would quickly slip back into bad habits. It hurt to know his brother had so little faith in him but Klaus supposed it was their own fault: he had built up Diego's hopes too many times in the past, only to let them crash down again. Klaus chewed his lower lip. 

“Okay,” They conceded, “I just don’t think you should be going after them alone. Or at all. Look, if they’re anything like us, they probably hate Dad’s guts too. It might easier to, I don’t know, talk to them instead of going in knives a blazing?”

Diego squeezed Klaus’ shoulders and grinned, “I know what I’m doing, don't worry. I’ll be back soon.”

In response, Klaus forced a smile and raised his hand in a half-hearted wave, as his brother jogged across the parking lot. They had no idea what they were going to do if Diego didn't come back- the idea of losing another sibling was so unbearable that it physically hurt, causing a dull throbbing pain in his chest. But what could they do? Klaus was just Klaus: no weapons, no useful powers, and no Ben to tell him what to do. He had no choice but to drag his feet back to the motel room, shivering from the residual chill that settled over him, and sink down to sit in the hallway. 

He'd forgotten to ask Diego for the room key. 


End file.
